Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Reversible Child Resistant Cap and Combination of a Container and a
Reversible Child Resistant Cap
RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a divisional application of
Canadian patent application number 2,401,142 filed on
February 27, 2001 as PCT/US2001/006103 and claims priority
from therein.
TECHNICAL FIELD AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
The present invention relates to a reversible child resistant cap.
Specifically, the invention relates to a cap which may be applied to a vial or
other container in one of two positions, the first being a child resistant
position
and the second being a non-child resistant position. The child resistant
position provides an obstacle to children being able to remove the cap from
the
container, whilst the non-child resistant position allows for ready removal of
the
cap from the container. The present invention also provides a reversible child
resistant cap and container assembly.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are many varying types of child resistant closure systems
disclosed in the art. An example of a particular type of child resistant
closure.
system is disclosed in U.S. Patent No.. 5,449,078, which relates to a
combination of a container and safety-cap.
While many child resistant caps effectively provide protection against
the danger of small children being able to remove potentially harmful pills
from
vials or other containers, they also provide a problem for a considerable
portion of the adult population that require medication, however, lack the
manual dexterity or strength to remove the child resistant cap. This is of a'
particular concern to the elderly population or people suffering from
arthritis
and other disabilitating diseases.
Accordingly, this problem has been addressed by the development of
closure systems having a child resistant mode and a non-child resistant mode
such that, in the non-child resistant mode, the caps are more easily opened by
adults. However, many such caps have a complex, multi part, structure
making the caps expensive or the closure systems suffer from the problem of
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providing an inferior moisture and air barrier when used in the non-child
resistant mode. Further, other attempts to develop reversible child resistant
closure systems have resulted in caps that when used in their non-child
resistant mode tended to come off from the vial or container inadvertently,
for
example, when being carried in a bag with other articles.
In light of the foregoing, there is a need for a reversible child resistant
closure that overcomes the aforementioned deficiencies of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a reversible child
resistant cap and closure system that substantially obviates one or more of
the
problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in
the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the
description, or
may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other
advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the system
particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well
as
the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the
purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described, the invention
provides a reversible child resistant cap. In the first position, or child
resistant
position, the cap when applied to a container provides an effective protection
against children being able to remove the closure, whilst at the same time
allow ready removal of the cap by normal adults. In the second position, or
the
non-child resistant position, the cap allows for easy removal of the cap from
the container even by persons whose ability to use their hands is severely
limited.
In another embodiment, the present invention also provides a reversible
child resistant closure system, comprising the combination of a container and
reversible child resistant cap.
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In accordance with the invention, the reversible child resistant cap
comprises a closure plane, a circumferential outer skirt for engaging a
container, and a circumferential resilient depending inner member. The
circumferential outer skirt comprises an upper portion extending in an upward
direction from the closure plane and. a lower portion extending in a downward
direction from the closure plane. The upper portion of the circumferential
outer
skirt comprises a non-child resistant engaging means for engaging a container.
The lower portion of the circumferential outer skirt comprises a child
resistant
engaging means for engaging a container. The circumferential resilient
depending inner member has an outer surface that is tapered from a larger
diameter portion adjacent the closure plane to a smaller diameter portion
remote from the closure plane.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the reversible
child resistant closure system comprises a cap and a container. The cap
comprises a closure plane and a circumferential outer skirt for engaging the
container and having a circumferential resilient depending inner member. The
circumferential outer skirt comprises an upper portion extending in an upward
direction from the closure plane and a lower portion extending in a downward
direction from the closure plane. The upper portion of the circumferential
outer
skirt comprises a non-child resistant engaging means for engaging the
container. The lower portion of the circumferential outer skirt comprises a
child
resistant engaging means for engaging the container. The circumferential
resilient depending inner member has a tapered outer surface that is tapered
from a larger diameter portion adjacent the closure plane to a smaller
diameter
portion remote from the closure plane. The container has a rigid wall having
an
engaging end for engagement with the cap. The engaging end of the
container has an outer surface for engaging the non-child resistant engaging
means of the cap. The engaging end of the container also has an inner surface
for engaging the tapered outer surface of the cap to provide a seal and a bias
on the cap in a direction of removal of the cap. The container also includes
means disposed on the container remotely from the engaging end of the
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container in cooperative means with the child resistant
engaging means of the cap.
In another embodiment, the present invention
provides a reversible child resistant cap for use with a
container, the cap having a child resistant mode when
applied to the container in a first child resistant position
and having a non-child resistant mode when applied to the
container in a second non-child resistant position, the cap
comprising: a closure plane; a circumferential outer skirt
comprising an upper portion extending in an upward direction
from the closure plane and a lower portion extending in a
downward direction from the closure plane, wherein the upper
portion of the circumferential outer skirt comprises a non-
child resistant engaging means for engaging the container
and the lower portion of the circumferential outer skirt
comprises a child resistant engaging means for engaging the
container; and a circumferential resilient depending inner
member depending inside the circumferential outer skirt and.,
comprising an outer surface, wherein the outer surface is
tapered from a larger diameter portion adjacent the closure
plane to a smaller diameter portion remote from the closure
plane.
In another embodiment, the present invention
provides a closure system comprising a reversible child
resistant cap and a container, having a child resistant mode
when the cap is applied to the container in a first child
resistant position and having a non-child resistant mode
when the cap is applied to the container in a second non-
child resistant position; wherein the cap comprises: (i) a
closure plane; (ii) a circumferential outer skirt comprising
an upper portion extending in an upward direction from the
closure plane and a lower portion extending in a downward
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direction from the closure plane, wherein the upper portion
of the circumferential outer skirt comprises a non-child
resistant engaging means for engaging the container and the
lower portion of the circumferential outer skirt comprises a
child resistant engaging means for engaging the container;
and (iii) a circumferential resilient depending inner member
depending from the closure plane and comprising an outer
surface, wherein the outer surface is tapered from a larger
diameter portion adjacent the closure plane to a smaller
diameter portion remote from the closure plane; and the
container comprises: (i) a neck portion, wherein the neck
portion of the container has an inner surface for engaging
the tapered outer surface of the cap to provide a seal and a
bias on the cap in a direction of removal of the cap when
the closure system is used in the first child resistant
position; a top edge surface for engaging the closure plane
of the cap to provide a seal when the closure system is used
in the second non-child resistant mode; and a non-child
resistant engaging means disposed on an outer surface of the
neck portion for engaging the cap when the closure system is
used in the second non-child resistant position; and (ii) a
child resistant engaging means disposed on the container
remotely from said neck portion.
In another embodiment, the present invention
provides a closure system comprising a reversible child
resistant cap and a container, having a child resistant mode
when the cap is applied to the container in a first child
resistant position and having a non-child resistant mode
when the cap is applied to the container in a second
non-child resistant position; wherein the cap comprises a
cap as described above; and the container comprises: i) a
neck portion including an outer surface, a top edge surface
for engaging the closure plane of the cap to provide a seal;
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ii) a non-child resistant engaging means disposed on the
outer surface of the neck portion at a third distance from
the neck top edge surface for engaging the non-child
resistant engaging means of the cap when the closure system
is used in the second non-child resistant position; and iii)
a child resistant engaging means disposed on the container
at a fourth distance from said neck top edge surface;
wherein the third distance is less than the fourth distance.
It is to be understood that the foregoing general
description and the following detailed description are
exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide
further explanation of the invention as claimed.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide
a further understanding of the invention and are
incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification,
illustrate several embodiments of the invention and together
with the description serve to explain the principles of the
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of
the reversible child resistant cap and container assembly in
its first child resistant position.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cap of FIG. 1
in its first child resistant position.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cap of FIG. 1
in its second non-child resistant position.
FIG_ 4 is a top view of the cap of FIG. 1 in its
first child resistant position.
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FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the cap of FIG. 1 in
its first child resistant position.
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the cap of
FIG. 4 as viewed along line A-A.
FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the cap of
FIG. 4 as viewed along line B-B.
FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of the cap of
FIG. 4 as viewed along line C-C.
FIG. 9 is a more detailed view of FIG. 6.
FIG. 10 is a top view of a first embodiment of the
container of the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a side view of the first embodiment of
the container of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the first embodiment
of the container of the present invention.
FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view of the container
depicted in FIG. 10 as viewed along line E-E.
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FIG. 14 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly in sectional, of the
container
and the neck thereof with the cap thereon in a locked and sealed position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE
PRESENT INVENTION
Referring now to the drawings of the present disclosure in which like
numbers represent the same structure in the various views, a perspective view
of an embodiment of the reversible child resistant closure system of the
present invention is shown generally at I in FIG. I and comprises a reversible
child resistant cap 2 and a container 3. Specifically, FIG. 1 shows the
reversible child resistant closure system in the first child resistant
position.
Thus, when the closure system is in the first child resistant position the
child
resistant engaging means of the cap mates with the child resistant engaging
means on the container. However, the cap 2 may also be used In an Inverted
orientation, as shown in FIG. 3, i.e. in a second non-child resistant
position. In
this second non-child resistant position the non-child resistant engaging
means
of the cap engage with the non-child resistant engaging means of the
container.
FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are cross sectional views of a preferred embodiment.of
the cap 2 depicted in FIG 4. taken along lines A-A, B-B, and C-C respectively.
A more detailed view of FIG. 6 is provided by FIG. 9. As shown in FIGS. 4-9,
the reversible child resistant cap 2 a closure plane 5, a circumferential
outer
skirt 10, and a circumferential resilient depending inner member 15.
The circumferential outer skirt 10 comprises an upper portion 20
extending in an upward direction from the closure plane 5. The outer skirt 10
also comprises a lower portion 25 extending in a downward direction from the
closure plane 5. The upper portion 20 of the circumferential outer skirt
comprises a non-child resistant engaging means for engaging the container.
Any suitable non-child resistant engaging means may be used. Suitable
examples include an endless closure bead, a thread bead, and a double
thread bead. FIGS. 4-9 depict a thread bead 30 as the non-child resistant
engaging means, however, a double entry thread bead is preferred. The lower
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portion 25 of the circumferential outer skirt 10 comprises a child resistant
engaging means for engaging the container 3. Any suitable child resistant
engaging means may be used. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS.
2-9 the suitable child resistant engaging means comprises one or more locking
lugs 35.
The circumferential outer skirt 10 may also comprise a gripping means
to facilitate rotation of the cap 2 to aid in both putting the cap onto the
container and then the subsequent removal of the cap 2. Any suitable gripping
means may be utilized. In a preferred embodiment, knerlments 37 are
disposed about the outer surface of the outer skirt 10.
The circumferential resilient depending inner member 15 has an outer
surface 40 which is tapered from a larger diameter portion adjacent the
closure
plane 5 to a smaller diameter portion remote from the closure plane 5.
Referring to FIGS. 11-13, the container 3 has a neck portion 45 having
an inner surface 50 for engaging the tapered outer surface 40 of the cap 2.
When the closure system of the present invention is used in the first child
resistant position, the inner surface 50 engages the tapered outer surface 40
of the cap to provide a seal. Further, the neck portion 45 is preferably made
such that when the inner surface 50 engages the outer surface 40, the neck
portion 45 bends of flexes in an outward direction to provide a bias on the
cap
2 in a direction of removal of the cap 2. The neck 45 may have any suitable
construction to provide the bias on the cap 2. For example, the neck 45 may
have a thickness sufficiently thin such that the neck 45 flexes or bends in an
outward direction when the cap 2 is locked in the first child resistant
position.
The neck 45 of the container 3 also comprises a top edge surface 55 which
contacts the closure plane 5 of the cap 2 when the closure system is in the
second non-child resistant position. This contact of the top edge surface 55
and the closure plane 5 is sufficient to form a seal. A non-child resistant
engaging means is disposed about the outer surface 60 of the neck 45 to
engage the non-child resistant engaging means of the cap 2. Any suitable
engaging means may be used. Suitable engaging means may include an
endless bead, a thread bead, and a double entry thread bead. As shown in
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FIGS. 10 and 11, in a preferred embodiment a double entry thread bead 65 is
used.
The container 3 also comprises a child resistant engaging means
disposed on the container remotely from the neck 45 to cooperate with the
child resistant engaging means of the cap 2. In a preferred embodiment, the
child resistant engaging means disposed on the container cooperates with the
child resistant engaging means on the cap 2 to prevent the cap 2 from being
removed from the container without the simultaneous depression and rotation
of the cap 2 on the container 3. Referring now to FIG. 11 the child resistant
engaging means on the container 3 comprises a camming latch 70 having a
cam receiving notch 75 therein and in which the child resistant engaging
means on the cap 2 comprises a locking lug 35 which is guided into the notch
75 upon rotation of the cap 2 on the container 3 when the cap 2 is applied to
close and seal the container 3 in the first child resistant position.
FIG. 14 represents the cap 2 on the container 3 in is first child resistant
position with the locking lug 35 seated in notch 75 so that the cap 2 is
locked
on the container 3. The tapered outer surface 40 of the cap is disposed inside
the inner surface 50 of the neck 45 of the container 3 causing an upward bias
on the cap 2. Accordingly, the cap cannot be removed from the container
merely by rotating the cap 2. Instead, the cap 2 must be depressed on the
container to unseat the lock lug 35 from the notch 75 and then rotated in a
counter clockwise direction so that the lock lug can be positioned between
camming latch 70 and the next adjacent camming latch, so that the cap 2 can
be removed by then directly upward motion.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the cap 2 and the container 3 of
the present invention have the following dimensions 711, 712, 811, 812, 8/3,
814, 815,
816, 9/1, 9/2, 913, 914, 915, 916, 917, 9/8, 9110, 1111, 11/2, 1113, 1311, and
1312 as
depicted in FIGS. 7, 8, 9, 11 and 13. In a more preferred embodiment angle a
as depicted in FIG. 6 is about 3 degrees. In an even more preferred
embodiment, some or all dimensions 7/1, 712, 8/1, 8/2, 813, 814, 815, 816,
9/1, 912,
913, 914, 915, 916, 9h, 91a, 9/i0, 1111, 1112, 1113,131,, and 13/2 are 0.125,
1.184,
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1.313, 1.254, 1.010, 1.160, 1.314, 1.204, 1.020, 0.950, 0.040, 0.230, 0.615,
0.075, 0.230, 0.345, 0.150, 1.076, 0.090, 1.190, and 1.190 mm respectively.
Any suitable method known to one of ordinary skill in the art may be
used to manufacture the cap 2 and container 3 of the present invention.
However, to aid in the manufacture of the cap 2 of the present invention,
comprising a locking lug 35, the cap 2 preferably comprises molding holes 90
positioned above each locking lug 35 such that portions of an upper mold may
pass through the molding holes to form the top surface 80 of the locking lug
35. To retain the moisture and air barrier properties of the closure system,
the
molding holes 90 are positioned between the outer surface of the skirt 10 and
the position at which the closure plane 5 contacts the top edge surface 55 of
the container 3 when the cap 2 is applied to the container 3 in the second non-
child resistant position. The use of molding holes 90 also enables the locking
lug 35 to protrude a greater amount from the Inner surface 85 of the lower
portion 25 of the skirt 10 than would otherwise be achievable. In addition,
the
molding holes also allows the locking lug 35 to have a top surface 80 that is
substantially perpendicular to the inner surface, 85 of the lower portion 25
of
the outer skirt 10.
Preferably, the cap is linerless, but liners may be provided if desired.
The cap is preferably made from a plastic material, such as high density
polyethylene (HDPE) or polypropylene. The container is preferably made from
a plastic material, such as low density polyethylene (LDPE) or polypropylene.
More preferably, the container is made from polypropylene. The skilled
artisan, having the benefit of the instant disclosure, will readily appreciate
that
the caps and containers may be made from other suitable materials.
Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will be apparent
to one of ordinary skill in the art. However, it is understood that the
present
disclosure relates to preferred embodiments of the invention for the purposes
of illustration only and should not be construed as to be a limitation of the
invention. All such modifications and alterations which do not depart from the
spirit of the invention are intended to be included within the appended
claims.
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